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An ordinary day in the life of fishermen on the docks of Fulton Fish Market, NY

Ian Harvey

The Fulton Fish Market covers a section of the Bronx Borough of New York City, in the Hunts Point, and it’s the most iconic market in the region.

Originally, the Fish market used to be a wing of the Fulton Market which was first established in 1822 and sold a large variety of goods. The current location of the Fish market in Hunts Point, Bronx was the result of the move that took place eleven years ago. In 2005 it was moved from its old historic place close to the Brooklyn Bridge in the Financial District, along East River waterfront in Lower Manhattan. The Fish Market stayed at its original place for over 193 years and all through that tenure the Fulton Fish Market was considered the most important wholesale fish market of the East Coast in the United States.

Fulton fish market hooker Photo Credit
Fulton fish market hooker Photo Credit

 

New England fishermen unloading fish at Fulton fish market Photo Credit
New England fishermen unloading fish at Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

 A scene at Fulton's fish market Photo Credit
A scene at Fulton’s fish market Photo Credit

 

 Fulton fish market dock stevedores with lobsters caught in the New England fishing waters Photo Credit
Fulton fish market dock stevedores with lobsters caught in the New England fishing waters Photo Credit

 

Barrels of fish on the docks at the Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers Photo Credit
Barrels of fish on the docks at the Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers Photo Credit

 

Packing fish in barrels at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
Packing fish in barrels at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

When it was first opened around 1822, the Fulton Fish market quickly got the reputation of a destination with a large amount of fish production carried on the fishing boats from all across the Atlantic Ocean. By the time 1950s rolled in the major part of the Market’s fish were put into large transport trucks instead of simply offloading the catch on the docks, which consequently increased the supply and significantly increased the demand as well.

The wholesalers flocked the Fulton Market and sold the fish and other seafood to the retailers and many restaurants across New York and further. The fish at the Market came from almost any variety of prey available and with the increase of food demands from food outlets, the sheer number of wholesalers also increased many folds. The business at the Market proceeded to fish produce rushing from the ports of New England ending up at the wholesalers at Fulton Market who were selling it to the retailers of the region where it originally was caught at. In many cases, the fish from other towns would end up at Fulton and wholesalers, who with their own price and agents in those towns would supply the locals with fish from their own area.

Fulton fish market stevedores Photo Credit
Fulton fish market stevedores Photo Credit

 

. A large lobster brought in by the New England fishing boat at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
A large lobster brought in by the New England fishing boat at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

 Watering fish at the Fulton fish market with brine water Photo Credit
Watering fish at the Fulton fish market with brine water Photo Credit

 

. Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers Photo Credit
Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers Photo Credit

 

Fisherman holding a large catch at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
Fisherman holding a large catch at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

A fisherman Photo Credit
A fisherman Photo Credit

 

An early morning scene at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
An early morning scene at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

 

 Unloading fish from the hold of a New England fishing boat at the Fulton market Photo Credit
Unloading fish from the hold of a New England fishing boat at the Fulton market Photo Credit

 

Dock stevedores packing and icing fish at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
Dock stevedores packing and icing fish at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

. Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats to the docks where it is bought, stored in barrels and packed in ice for delivery to wholesalers Photo Credit
Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats to the docks where it is bought, stored in barrels and packed in ice for delivery to wholesalers Photo Credit

United States government tracked and reported on the prices of the produce sold and bought at the Fulton Fish Market. At its original location, the Fulton Fish Market was amongst some of the last and perhaps the most significant wholesale food markets in the city. The Market not only proved to be resistant to the Depression and financial upheavals, but it also showed great resilience towards natural disasters such as fires, as it had survived and recovered from the fires of 1835, 1845,1918 and most recently in 1995.

At its current location at the Hunts Point Coop Market, the Fish Market has proven to be equally profitable and vibrant.

Unloading and packing fish at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
Unloading and packing fish at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers Photo Credit
Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers Photo Credit

 

 Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning Photo Credit
Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning Photo Credit

 

Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning Photo Credit
Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning Photo Credit

 

Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market holding giant lobster claws Photo Credit
Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market holding giant lobster claws Photo Credit

 

Glouchester fishermen resting in their bunks after unloading their catch at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
Gloucester fishermen resting in their bunks after unloading their catch at the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

 

A "hooker" shoveling redfish onto the scales in the Fulton fish market Photo Credit
A “hooker” shoveling redfish onto the scales in the Fulton fish market Photo Credit

The wholesalers working on the market deal with the upwards of millions of pounds of seafood on a daily basis, that generates the annual sales of over billion dollars. While providing a significant boost to city’s economy, at the same time it keeps the locals’ protein demand in check.

Here is another story from us: These heart-rending photos show child workers in sardine factories in 1911

With regards to its annual sales and revenue, the Fulton Fish Market comes second only to Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market and is recognized all around the world.

Ian Harvey

Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News